Ambulance service in jeopardy

The town's ambulance service is in danger of being closed down if minimal staffing levels cannot be met, Fire Chief Thomas Ruchala told selectmen at the meeting on Monday.

The service does not meet the staffing levels required by the state for any ambulance service that is at least three years old, Ruchala said. The town's ambulance has been operating for the last four years.

Ruchala had submitted a request for a waiver to the mandated staffing, but the state rejected it. The state wants the town to have a paramedic available for the ambulance 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Currently, the town is unable to cover that on the midnight to 6 a.m. shift.

"At the moment, we have six people covering seven days a week, 18 hours a day," Ruchala said. "We need to have a paramedic that is also on call at midnight, not just EMTs." If the town can't find the additional coverage, it will lose its ambulance license.

"It seems unfair to take away all the emergency care because we can't find the staffing for one shift," selectman Sheila Dibb said.

Ruchala said he attempted to get some paramedics who live in town to do some ambulance calls. Overtime rates for any of the town's full-time paramedics would run between $32-$35 hourly, he said.

"We have to have a plan of action to them by July 1 or they will pull the permit," Ruchala said. Ruchala is planning to write to state Rep. Lew Evangelidis and state Sen. Stephen Brewer for assistance getting the waiver and asked the board to also write letters supporting it.

The ambulance was damaged slightly during the ice storm, Ruchala, but is on the list of storm-related expenses that are eligible for reimbursement from federal and state agencies.

Selectmen also met with DPW Superintendent Gary Kellaher who is looking to replace two vehicles in his department.

A Ford Explorer needs to be replaced as well as the department's F-150 truck. Kellaher thinks he will be able to replace the two vehicles for under $40,000.

"A heavy duty pickup truck is needed so we don't have to send out a heavy piece of equipment on light jobs," he said.

Treasure Valley Scout camp has been in touch with the DPW looking for assistance in their post storm cleanup, Kellaher said. So far, the DPW has acted only as advisors to the camp.

"I think it's okay to be a resource for them, maybe you could hook them up with Ajax Tree Service," Joseph Becker, selectman chairman said. "I don't think the town should be involved with any labor or equipment."

The board also learned that someone has been taking brush from the town's debris pile at Long Pond. The board said that no one has been given permission to take any wood from any town collection site.

Also last night, the board set Saturday, May 16 as the date for the annual town meeting. The last day to submit articles for the annual meeting warrant is Monday, March 23. An information session on an expected override article will be held in the large meeting room at the library on April 27 at 7 p.m.